I'm a mum-of-four, 38 & get mistaken for my teen's sister, I block her mates for trying to chat me up & still get ID'd
A MUM-OF-FOUR has revealed how she's constantly mistaken for her teen daughter's sister and has even had to block her mates for trying to chat her up.
Jennifer McKenzie, 38, a holistic therapist and life coach from Wilstead, Bedfordshire, says people are always "shocked" when they realise she has an 18-year-old child.
The mum to Morgan Dunn, 18, Sinead Dunn, 15, Maya McKenzie, eight, and Flynn Girling, seven, classes herself as a "cool mum" and admits she's regularly chatted up by lads half her age.
In an exclusive chat with Fabulous, she says: "People often mistake me for about 28. When I go out with my two oldest daughters, people say ‘oh is that your sister?’
"Morgan's at Brighton Uni and all her friends are like ‘I can’t believe that’s your mum’ when they see photos.
"People say ‘isn’t it great to have a cool mum?’ because I look so young.
I am proud that I look young, with the work I do it’s a good advert for my business, wellbeing is a big thing for me
"It happened with a make-up artist at MAC in Brighton when we went for an appointment too.
"It's just been endless times, all my clients say ‘you look too young to be the mum of an adult’."
Jennifer, who lives alone with her kids but is in a relationship, still gets ID'd and says people never took her seriously when she was a pub landlord with Morgan and Sinead's dad in her early 20s.
She adds: "I don’t drink but I have been ID’d for alcohol only last year. I was actually turned away because I only had car keys and cash on me, I was told ‘we can’t serve you’.
"When I was younger, it was a bit of a pain because people wouldn’t take me seriously, even though I was a pub landlord and a mum at 20.
"I had a few derogatory comments like ‘go back to college’, but it’s nice now I’m older."
I’ve had to block a few of their friends from Instagram, teenage boys who send rude comments
Jennifer, who believes she looks about 30, credits clean eating, yoga and horse riding for her youthful looks.
She says: "I am proud that I look young, with the work I do it’s a good advert for my business, wellbeing is a big thing for me.
"My daughters find it funny, apart from the comments from the boys who say ‘your mum’s well fit’. That happens quite a lot. I’ve had to block a few people from Instagram, teenage boys who send rude comments.
"I get a lot of attention from both younger and older men. It’s not really anyone my age, it tends to be at either end of the spectrum.
"Blokes think I’m a lot younger than I am, so I’ll get chatted up then find out they’re in their 20s, I’m like ‘hmm a bit young for me’.
"I do think I’m a cool mum. The kids call me a weirdo but I’m just a happy, bubbly person and I’m quite sociable.
"I’ve got loads of tattoos and I’m not a stuffy mum, I let my kids be themselves and I think that’s important. I’m just myself, I'm quite outgoing and a bit silly."
Jennifer says she and her daughter look so similar that even Morgan's dad mixes them up.
She explains: "We do look quite alike, especially in recent years. Even her dad has said to me ‘God I thought you were Morgan’, when we were sat on the sofa next to each other."
Jennifer’s tips to endless youth
Drink lots of water
Exercise daily – whether that's a gruelling gym session, yoga or a walk
Eat healthily 80% of the time
Get outside in nature
Meditate & look after your mental wellbeing – stress ages you
Invest in quality, non-toxic skin products
Get Botox every six months
Keep a young mindset
Of her tips for endless youth, Jennifer suggests: "Lots of water, exercise and I think mindset is a lot to do with it.
"I’m a spiritual teacher so I meditate loads and I'm relatively clean living – I live by an 80/20 rule.
"I exercise a lot, I move daily which could be yoga, horse riding or walking. When the gyms are open, I go two or three times a week.
"Time spent in nature is a really good one as well, you need to look after your mental wellbeing as well as the physical.
"Stress has a massive impact on ageing, so if you’re stressed on the inside it shows on the outside.
"I look after my skin as well. I only use products that are non-toxic and natural and spend more than average on skincare.
"Arbonne is my favourite, I pay £116 for a set every six months. I get regular facials as well or do them at home once-a-week, because I'm beauty trained.
"That's on top of my normal skincare regime, which I do every morning and evening.
"I’ve had some Botox in my forehead, normally I get it every six months although I haven’t had it done for a while because of lockdown.
"I only get a bit, at the top of my nose and on my frown lines, which helps stop tension headaches."
Jennifer is a holistic therapist, life coach and reiki practitioner at Lunar Spirit Wellbeing and The Healing Shed. You can find out more here.
She is also a podcast host and author. You can listen to That Inner Voice podcast here and buy the book Love Thy Body here.
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